The Denver Broncos again have the best record in the NFL at 13-3 and are one win away from clinching the top seed for the NFL playoffs. This hasn't been done by the Broncos since the 2015 NFL Season, so things are pointing up.
There have also been a ton of parallels between 2025 and 2015, so perhaps this year really is the Broncos' season to win it all. Fortunately, the team is built to keep this Super Bowl window wide open for years down the line.
We outlined the three main reasons for that right here.
Denver's Super Bowl window is sustainable for years to come..
Bo Nix's potential contract extension still would not kick in for years
One of the biggest events/scenarios that an NFL team encounters at some point is the decision to pay a young quarterback. We've seen this turn out to be a wise investment, like when the Kansas City Chiefs paid Patrick Mahomes or when the Cincinnati Bengals paid Joe Burrow. However, in other instances, the decision to pay a young QB backfired, like when the Miami Dolphins paid Tua Tagovailoa. Bo Nix isn't eligible for an extension until after the 2026 NFL Season, and teams are able to structure contracts in a way to delay that massive cap hit.
If Nix did get a deal after 2026, Denver may not see that major cap hit impact their books until 2028 or 2029, so the team still has multiple years of a cheap, franchise quarterback.
Denver has become one of the best 'draft and develop' teams in the NFL
We've seen a ton of Broncos' draft picks take off in recent years under Sean Payton and his staff, and it's never been more clear than now that the Broncos are one of the best teams in the NFL at finding talent and developing it. Some of the best players on the team were second and third-round picks. Guys like Nik Bonitto, Quinn Meinerz, Jonathon Cooper, and Luke Wattenberg weren't first-round picks.
But the Broncos have also been able to develop and keep their first rounders as well. Overall, Denver is prioritizing the right positions in the NFL Draft and are coupling that with strong development. This is one of the main ways for teams to sustain success in this league.
Clearly investing in the right positions
Not only is Denver drafting and developing well, but the team is also investing in the right positions - we've seen a huge emphasis put on the offensive and defensive lines. Having strong trench play on both sides is the single-most important quality of a winning team, besides, obviously, the QB play.
Denver is five strong along the offensive line and have as good and deep of a defensive line as any in the NFL. It's not a coincidence that the Broncos have poured a ton of money into the OL and DL. This is also taken a step further when you look at the other positions that Denver has invested into.
The safety position is a good example here, as it's an important position, but not nearly as important as others on the defense. It's an area of the defense where a team doesn't necessarily have to use high draft picks on. Denver's safety tandem when healthy of Brandon Jones and Talanoa Hufanga might be the best in the NFL.
Overall, George Paton, Sean Payton, and the rest of the Broncos' front office understands where to allocate resources in the best and most efficient way possible.